SkyLinkNet SK-200 Review

SkyLinkNet offers a few different DIY home security system starter kits.

Our Verdict

SkyLinkNet's SK-200 DIY starter kit is an easy way to make home security a reality for anyone who has a router, but its included 3-foot Ethernet cable makes placing it difficult. It also doesn’t have a connection backup, so you won’t know if something happens while your internet connection is down.

SkyLinkNet offers a few different DIY home security system starter kits. We tested the middle-of-the-road kit, which resembles others in our comparison – the SkyLinkNet SK-200 Alarm System Starter Kit. You get a base station, or hub, that works with your home internet connection to communicate with other devices and your smartphone. The kit also includes two door or window sensors, a motion detector and a single keychain remote. This is an ideal package for a single person living alone.

Installing this DIY security system was simple – we just plugged the Ethernet cable into our router and the base station. The only installation drawback is that the included cable is about 3 feet long, which means you can't put the hub wherever you want.

This is definitely a home security system you want to place close to a door or window to maximize sound projection. When we tested how loud the alarm is, we found that it registers at 90 decibels – about the same noise level as a loud motorcycle 25 feet away – which is average for these types of alarms. You can also use the hub as a keypad, so it makes even more sense to mount the hub near an entrance. As such, you’ll likely want to purchase a longer Ethernet cable.

The SkyLinkNet mobile app has an event log that keeps track of when the alarm is triggered by the motion detector, front door sensor or your remote, as well as mundane events such as arming and disarming the alarm system. Other than that, you can arm, disarm or trigger the alarm from the app on your smartphone. SkyLinkNet is compatible with two popular smart home platforms: Amazon Alexa and IFTTT.

Like SwannOne and iSmartAlarm, this home security system includes a backup battery, but it does not have a backup connection. So, if your power goes out, the alarm uses the backup battery to keep the system running, but without a backup connection, you won't know if an event triggers an alarm. Once your power is restored, the app notifies you; however, it doesn’t let you know when your internet fails and comes back.

SkyLinkNet's SK-200 Alarm System Starter Kit is a decent package that gets you started with home security. Still, it's not quite the best DIY home security system we tested. Without a backup internet connection, you won't know if someone breaks into your home until it’s too late if your connection goes out.